Frustrating Experience

So my blog had to be removed from AOL and they kindly offered Blogger as a place to dump it. Only the move did not transfer my pictures with the posts. My original idea was to insert the pictures myself, manually. Yeah, right. I've found this to be a very frustrating experience. I have hundreds of pics that went with my blog and I can only upload one at a time. Plus rearranging the post to accomodate the pics. So between trying to upload the pic and my internet going down every time I try to upload, this is a miserable venture. I think I'm done with this effort. I'm going to try to upload my pics somewhere else in the meantime, and I guess if you want to look at the pics, you'll have to go there to do it. There are some other places that let me upload more than one at a time and don't seem to cause as many problems with my internet. I will make future posts including pics, but I can't put the others all here. How sad.

Can't Possibly Be A Year!

Can it possibly be almost a year since I last updated? Yep, looks like it! Shame on me! The entries may be fewer but that doesn't mean there's no knitting going on. It was a busy year, my daughter was in a musical in the spring, then prom, her graduation from high school, planning her graduation party, then she was off to college in the fall. Not as much time for serious knitting!

I did start a cotton bag for her. Yes, I'm still addicted to bags. She loves the lovely brown, black & cream bag I knitted & felted for her, but she said it was too warm for the summer. So why not? I used some denim cotton, in a blue & pink, found a nice fun sturdy stitch pattern & off I went. I knitted the bag in the round, but I wanted it to have a more blocky shape. I ended up trimming it with a simple edging that gave it the shape I was looking for. I picked up stitches along the sides and across the bottom, conveniently sewing the bottom closed at the same time, then bound the stitches off. It made a small simple edging that I really liked. I did a full sized inside pocket, a simple flap closure & a thicker strap. I'm pleased with the result & pictures are shown above.

Next project I'm currently working on is a sweater for her as well. I found the pattern on Knitty.com & she liked it too. Of course, I didn't have the yarn called for, but I found something we both liked. Of course, it wasn't the same size yarn either, but it was okay. It called for a size 7 or 8 needle. My yarn takes a 3. No matter, I could wing it.

So I figure it out, do some swatching and...208 stitches on size 3 needles. A little daunting. But I perservered & I'm almost there. After adding the sleeves, I'm up to almost 300 stitches. Yeah...daunting! There needs to be about 5 inches above the underarm, but its taking awhile. Plus in the winter, the old hands ache, so its been slow going. I can't wait to see it on her, though!

Speaking of the brown/black/cream bag...my daughter waswalking through the mall with it. A girl came up to her & said she LOVED the bag & wanted to know where she BOUGHT it! My girl proudly told her "My Mom MADE this!" Yep, I'll take that as a huge compliment!

Hopefully more to come soon!

Couple-O-Snuggles!

Nope, I haven't forgotten about the Snuggle Project.  I'm still working on it, just not as ambitiously as I could.  I do have a few done, however so here are the finished products!  I just get so easily distracted!!

The purple one is a cotton mat that I was originally going to use as a placemat many years ago.  I saw a design in Knitter's Magazine by Lily Chin, I believe.  It is knitted in the round, with a few temporary sts in between the "sides", then framed by a twisted st.  It is cut up the middle of the temporary sts, they are unraveled for fringe.  The twisted st keeps everything in place.  In my design, I used a linen stitch so it would look like a woven mat.  It is a reversible stitch, too, so it looks nice on both sides. You can see that I made my slipped sts too tight, cause the ends ripple.  So I never finished the placemats, but this will make a nice mat for a sweet furcritter who needs some comfort. 

Along the same lines, the green mat is my better attempt at the knit & cut.  Again it is made in the round with temporary sts at the "sides" with a twisted st to hold it all together.  This one was done in stocking st, so I put a seed st border around the whole thing to keep it flat.  I started to fray the fringe, but it didn't look right, so I left it as is.  It is nice & soft & cozy! 

The brown & cream one is a fisherman rib st, reversible so both sides look nice.  This one is wonderfully thick, so I think it will be best for the purpose it is intended to serve!  I may possibly do more mats with this st, because it does make it so cushiony & soft!  Then again, I love to experiment with new st patterns, so who knows what I may come up with next!   Its a nice feeling that I might make a difference in the life of a helpless animal!

Stitch Pattern For Tribble's Blanket!

I had a request for the stitch pattern used in Tribble's Blanket (aka Snuggle Blanket)!  I modified a brick slip stitch pattern found in an old Better Homes & Gardens afghan book.  It may exist "published" out there somewhere!  So here is how I did it...Have fun!

CO a multiple of 5 sts, minimum of 10 sts.

Colors A (main color) & B (or small amounts of multiple colors, if you'd like!)

Row 1 - With color A, K across.
Row 2 - With color A, P across.
Row 3 - With color B, K2, *slip one with yarn in back, K4, repeat from * to last 3 sts, slip one, K2.
Row 4 - With color B, P2 ,*slip one with yarn in front, P4, repeat from * to last 3 sts, slip one, P2. 

Repeat rows 1-4. 

Obviously in my version, I used a different color every time for my "color B"!  I wove the ends in as I knit, so it wouldn't make me crazy at the end trying to finish it off!  I also put a wide garter stitch border around it, because it does curl.  This afghan was a great way to use those small scraps in an attractive way.  Enjoy! 

Snuggle One!

My first snuggle is completed, however, I think its too late for this one.  Tribble has claimed it for his own.  I'd really rather it go to a dog in need (that's why I made it!), but Tribble must need one too.  He is a rescue, so I don't think he had many "things" of his own.  So here it will stay.  You can see him cuddling up with it in his bed in the pictures.

So, I started another one.  In my laziness, I wanted to make it in the round, cause it goes so much quicker.  I saw this techinque in Knitters Magazine using cotton & thought "why not?"  So, this one is about 18x18, I made it in plain stockinette stitch, with seed stitch borders &  twisted stitch at either side.  I left 4 plain stitches in between the side borders. 

After binding off, I *gasp* cut between the 4 stitches!  I unraveled them, so they make a fringe & believe it or not, it won't unravel!  The twist stitch helps keep it together.  I may comb out the ends so it will be a fluffy fringe & it will be more cozy.  Crazy, ain't it?! 

Blankets of Love

I found a group on the internet called "Snuggle's Project", which makes blankets for shelter animals, whether it be dog or cat.  We have a shelter very near home that is a participant in the project, so I can just drop them off when I'm done.  I'm almost done with my first, another scrap yarn blanket done in small scale! 

I used black as the main color & tried using up some of the many scraps for the contrasting colors.  I used a brick-type slip stitch pattern.  The effect is like a stained glass & its really turning out well!  It allowed me to use some of those...uh..."interesting" color scraps!  As you can see from the picture, it will need to be edged all around.  I'm thinking maybe a knitted on garter stitch edging. 

Now, if only I can convince my little dog Tribble that its not HIS blanket!  I may just have to keep this one & move onto the next for the shelter!   

Happy Felted New Year!

Happy New Year to all!  Its been a felted holiday for me.  The latest bag is finished & it came out fabulously!  I sewed on a wooden toggle button for a closure & it goes nicely.  This will be a great "small" bag to take along a knitting project.  Just what I wanted!  However, while it was drying, my daughter (the thief!) saw it & said, "Oh, this is cool, is this mine?!"  I told her to please step away from the bag, she already got hers, but I could see that look in her eye.  So I've been keeping it hidden!

Latest news, we have another dog.  He's part Pomeranian, part Yorkie (supposedly!) & his name is Tribble.  He is shown sporting a quick little project I made for him, a jingle bell collar.  I spotted a version of this in the local petstore, & thought (of course!), "I can make this!"  So I did!  I had the leftover yarn & some jingle bells, so other than time, it was a freebie.  I made short row triangles, the knitted on the I-cord tie.  Quick & fun, although Tribble only tolerated wearing it long enough for a few pictures!

Also  show inside my new felted tote is a book my husband bought me for Christmas.  It is called "Yarn Harlot" & it is a hilarious look at the secret life of an obsessed knitter.   A very entertaining read for any knitter!  I could relate to many of her adventures & misadventures, & I realized, this woman writes from my soul!  Check it out!